Chapter Thirty-Four: The Heavenly Court's Martial Performance

  "What?"

  "Listen to my third aunt's second uncle's brother's family gatekeeper, he said that some time ago the Great Emperor's youngest son was stripped of his cultivation by the Jade Emperor and suppressed in the Demon Cave for ten years. Guess what happened afterwards?"

  "What's going on?"

  It's said that on that night, the Da Emperor Palace emitted crackling sounds, and it's estimated that at least dozens of cups were smashed by the Da Emperor. It's also said that a palace maid was beheaded at the Executioner's Platform for walking too loudly.

  He rubbed his neck, with a look of lingering fear.

  "Impossible, if it's true, then the Emperor is too calm today?"

  "Hmm..." The immortal who spoke first had a calm expression and said lightly, "At the Peach Conference, the attention of the three realms is focused here. How could the Great Emperor do something out of line? Don't worry, it won't be long before the one above," he pointed to Zhang Youren on the dragon throne, "will suffer retribution."

  ……

  After a short while, Tai Bai Jin Xing returned to the great hall once again and nodded at Zhang You Ren, indicating that everything was in order.

  Zhang Youren smiled and looked at the crowd of immortals, who immediately fell silent and stared at him in unison, trying to figure out what kind of trick he had up his sleeve.

  Even the Queen Mother of the Heavens and Hou Tu, who was as cold as ice and frost, looked over at him, as if a flower had bloomed on his face.

  Zhang Youren's old face was somewhat embarrassed in the public eye. He wasn't the original Jade Emperor, and he hadn't experienced many such scenes after all, so he couldn't remain calm and unruffled like a bell that doesn't break when struck or a mountain that doesn't move when thunderstruck.

  He cleared his throat and said to the officials, "Everyone, I have arranged a small musical performance before the guests arrive, let's go to the martial arts arena to take a look."

  "Jousting arena?"

  "What's going on here in the martial arts arena? Isn't it supposed to be Chang'e dancing in the moon palace, how did it turn into a martial performance?"

  "This throne is getting more and more incomprehensible, this Jade Emperor has been acting strangely since his divine soul was injured last time, always doing things beyond expectation. Incognito visit, humph, he thinks he's a mortal emperor, now he wants to hold some kind of martial arts competition before the Peach Festival, really can't understand what he's thinking."

  With a dignified and upright demeanor, the majestic Emperor of the North Pole, Zhongtian Zimiao, let out a sigh. "Alright, I'll follow him to take a look. Perhaps he can truly give me a surprise."

  He is the only one of the Four Emperors who has achieved immortality, and although his strength is great, he is not good at managing things. Although he wants to reform the Heavenly Court, he has the heart but lacks the power. Now looking at Zhang Youren's appearance, I don't know whether to expect or be angry.

  "Let's go, let's go and take a look."

  Most of the immortals and gods were driven by curiosity, but more importantly, they had to go because of the Jade Emperor's decree. After Zhang Youren and the Queen Mother Wangmu and the Four Officials left, they flew to the Wuchang Arena in a flurry of clouds.

  "Wow, so many people!"

  Not yet arrived at the martial arts arena, I saw a sea of people, surrounding the huge arena, making it impossible to get in.

  "What's going on here?"

  One by one, the gods' foreheads almost formed question marks, and doubts arose.

  "What kind of people are these? How can they be in the Immortal Realm, with the highest being Heavenly Immortals? What! There's even a Lesser Immortal among them?! This...this..."

  Those who can ascend to the Lingxiao Hall and the Four Palaces, along with the Five Elders, Six Administrators, Seven Primes, Eight Extremes, Nine Brightnesses, Ten Capitals, Tianpeng, Nezha, and other great deities as their ministers, are all figures in the Three Realms who are looked up to by others. They are all proud and arrogant, with abilities that surpass those of the Golden Immortal realm. Even if they don't quite reach the level of a Golden Immortal, each has their own unique strengths, and at the very least, they are all renowned figures in the Three Realms.

  So in their view, these small fairies with cultivation below the heavenly fairy, actually want to stand together with them on the martial arts arena bestowed by the Jade Emperor, they have a sense of imbalance.

  "Come on, get these little fairies out of here for me. What is the Heaven's Guardian going to eat today? You've brought some kind of people in, hurry up and go, what are you still standing there for?"

  However, no matter how loudly this high-ranking Golden Immortal minister of the Ling Xiao Hall shouted, the Heaven General guarding the place remained unmoved and only said lightly: "Sir, it was His Majesty's personal decree to recruit these little immortals from the Earthly Immortal Realm and various departments' subordinates specifically for today's grand gathering."

  "What?!"

  "Is this the Emperor's personal summons?" The great immortal fell silent, his eyes filled with confusion as he gazed at the group of lesser immortals, unsure where to place his feet. After finally squeezing into the martial arena and taking a seat in the ministerial position, he continuously exhaled turbid air, as if trying to dispel the gloomy aura brought by these inferior immortals.

  Zhang Youren has been busy cultivating the Nine Turns of the Mysterious Merit, and he also took the opportunity to have a deep conversation with Tai Bai Jin Xing. In Tai Bai Jin Xing's astonished and puzzled eyes, he obtained a source of gold, which further advanced his immortal foundation.

  At the same time, he quietly arranged for Tai Bai Jinxing and Nezha to search through various channels in the Earth Immortal Realm and the Heavenly Court's Department of Generals for some low-ranking, yet passionate and powerful young immortals with untapped potential.

  In his view, the flat peach will go to the high-end market. Rather than letting these upper gods who are not respectful to him, the Jade Emperor, have fun, it's better to use these extremely valuable flat peaches to their fullest extent and bring in a batch of powerful talents for the Heavenly Court, becoming Zhang Youren's true team.

  As expected, upon hearing the news that the champion would receive a 9,000-year-old peaches, these low-key and hidden immortals were full of energy and enthusiasm for signing up, almost bursting the martial arts arena.

  This was a bitter pill for the officials who followed Zhang Youren's buttocks. They, who had always been high and above, would never have thought that they would mix with this group of muddy legs. So, as soon as they came in, everyone covered their noses, afraid of dirtying their own bodies and polluting their innocent souls.

  Zhang Youren saw everything with his own eyes, sitting on the high platform, holding up his wine cup, and making a toast to the empty space: "I, at the time of the great calamity of heaven and earth, cannot bear to see the suffering of the three realms, and want to exhaust all my strength, raise an army, and save the millions of people in the three realms from fire and water. Therefore, I specially set up this meeting, searching for talented people with knowledge, can you immortals help me?"

  "I (Xiao Xian) have followed Your Majesty in front of and behind the horse, sharing the great undertaking, willing to die for Your Majesty!"

  Among the officials, Nezha and Tianpeng were boiling with enthusiasm, their eyes shining brightly. "Your Majesty, this is our true Emperor!" Even Zhongtian Zixu, the Great Emperor of the Purple Extreme, was slightly moved at this moment. The lower-level immortals in the martial arts arena were even more excited by Zhang Youren's brief words, their faces flushed with excitement, shouting loudly. A deafening roar echoed through the martial arts arena.

  "I am willing to die for Your Majesty!"

  "Work hard!"

  "Die trying..."

  Only a few sages like Gou Chen showed disdain on their faces, looking at these low-cultivation and weak immortals, whispering: "Relying on these... humph!"